THE GENETICS OF TWO ALLELES FOR LEAF RUST RESISTANCE AT THE LR14 LOCUS IN WHEAT

Two genes conferring a similar mesothetic reaction to different races of leaf rust were backcrossed into the wheat variety Thatcher. One of the genes came from Selkirk and the other from Maria Escobar and Bowie. The two genes are alleles at the Lr14 locus, but have been combined into a single line. The inheritance of pathogenicity on these two alleles was studied by using an F 2 population of 150 cultures from a cross between races 9 and 161 of leaf rust. Virulence on Lr14a was conferred by a recessive gene and on Lr14b by a dominant gene. These genes for virulence are independently inherited.